
UK's Starmer discussed Ukraine war with leaders of US, Italy, France and Germany, Downing Street says
May 18 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday discussed the war in Ukraine with leaders of the U.S., Italy, France and Germany, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
The leaders also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously in a ceasefire and peace talks, the spokesperson added.

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Sky News
13 minutes ago
- Sky News
Angela Rayner backing Sir Sadiq Khan's plans to pedestrianise London's Oxford Street
Angela Rayner is backing plans put forward by Sir Sadiq Khan to pedestrianise Oxford Street "as quickly as possible". The mayor of London has previously tried to ban traffic from the famous shopping street but was thwarted by the then-Conservative majority Westminster City Council in 2018. Sir Sadiq 's office say 66% of people asked as part of a consultation on the plans backed the pedestrianisation. Separate research from YouGov run in September last year suggested that 63% of Londoners support the project. Ms Rayner, the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, said: "We want to see Oxford Street become the thriving place to be for tourists and Londoners alike, and that's why we welcome the Mayor of London's bold proposals to achieve that. "We will support the mayor in delivering this ambitious vision, which will help to breathe new life into Oxford Street - driving investment, creating new jobs for local people and providing a boost to economic growth in the capital." This time around, the plans just need the backing of Ms Rayner, and the mayor is looking to create a mayoral development corporation by 1 January 2026 at the latest. Sir Sadiq wants to restrict traffic from the 0.7 mile area between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, with the potential for further changes towards Tottenham Court Road. The mayor's office claim that, of more than 6,500 responses to their consultation launched in February, "Londoners and businesses overwhelmingly back the mayor's ideas". The proposal has the support of Ikea, Selfridges, John Lewis and the London Chamber of Commerce. Detailed traffic proposals will be established later this year. 👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne's on your podcast app👈 Sir Sadiq said: "Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation's high street a new lease of life. "It's clear that the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans, so I'm pleased to confirm that we will now be moving ahead as quickly as possible. "We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue.


Sky News
22 minutes ago
- Sky News
PM warned that attempts to prevent conflict will be harmed by cuts to overseas aid budget
Former spymasters, military chiefs and leading politicians are among a group of more than 60 public figures to sign a letter urging the prime minister to allocate more of the UK's reduced overseas aid budget to preventing wars. A failure to act risks leaving the government facing what they described as a "global conflict crisis" with "one hand tied behind its back". The letter to Sir Keir Starmer, shared with Sky News, said violent conflict is impacting more countries across the globe than at any time since the Second World War. "They are disrupting economies and diverting the world's attention away from human rights, climate change and gender equality," according to the letter, signed by, among others, Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller and Lord Jonathan Evans, former director generals of MI5, and Lord Mark Sedwill, a former national security adviser. 1:55 "To durably strengthen national security, therefore, the government must invest not just in defence, but also in development and diplomacy." The group is not calling on the prime minister to reverse a decision to shrink the overseas aid budget to 0.3% of GDP from 0.5% by 2027 to fund an increase in defence spending. Instead, they are focused on the proportion of the diminished international development budget that is spent on conflict prevention and peacebuilding. The ratio had been 4% of total overseas aid spending in 2018. But the level has shrunk to between 1 and 1.5% today, according to Lord Jack McConnell, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Conflict Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding, which organised the letter. The group wants the proportion to be returned to the equivalent of 4%. "Without this, the UK might risk facing the global conflict crisis with one hand tied behind its back," the letter warned. The signatories said they would like to see an all-of-government approach to tackling violent conflict to be included in an upcoming national security strategy, which is due to be published before a NATO summit next week. Among the other people to sign the letter are General Lord Richard Dannatt, a former head of the army, Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston KCB, a former head of the Royal Air Force, Tan Dhesi MP, chair of the defence select committee, and Sarah Champion MP, chair of the international development committee. Conflict prevention and resolution efforts that the UK has in the past championed include helping to secure peace agreements in the Philippines, Colombia and Ethiopia. Another initiative is the "Women, Peace and Security" agenda. "We are gravely concerned that these initiatives may disappear amidst cuts to the aid budget," the letter said. "This would be a false economy, as conflicts left to escalate and spread will lead to further insecurity, forced displacement and humanitarian crises to which the armed forces and aid agencies must respond."


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Australia's Albanese confident on AUKUS after British leader says it will proceed
SYDNEY, June 17 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed comments by his British counterpart at the G7 that Britain and the United States will proceed with the AUKUS nuclear submarine treaty with Australia, despite a Pentagon review. "We're proceeding with that, it's a really important deal to both of us," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters when asked about AUKUS, standing next to U.S. President Donald Trump after they met on Monday to discuss trade and security. "I think the president is doing a review, we did a review when we came into government so that makes good sense to me," he added. Albanese had been scheduled to hold his first meeting with Trump the next day to press support for AUKUS, however the White House announced Trump would leave the G7 early. Albanese later told reporters that AUKUS held "great advantages" for the three partners. "That is why we support AUKUS and that is why I am confident that all three nations will continue to provide support for it," he told reporters in Calgary. In 2023, the United States, Australia and Britain unveiled details of the plan to provide Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines from the early 2030s to counter China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. A Pentagon official said last week the administration was reviewing AUKUS to ensure it was "aligned with the President's America First agenda".